


Prelude

by pauraque



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Episode: The More I See You, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-08-07
Updated: 2003-08-07
Packaged: 2017-10-27 10:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/294521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pauraque/pseuds/pauraque
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some things are more important than others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this around 2000 after watching the relevant episode, and was persuaded to post it some years later by a friend. There will always be a place in my heart for those who ship rare pairings, even canon ones.

12:09 a.m., February 5, 1945

He collapsed beside her, and caught his breath, and — she couldn't believe it — after a moment of staring at the ceiling, he started to hum.

She pursed her lips in a scolding smile. "Still got it stuck in your head, hm?"

He turned up his palms, and couldn't keep humming for grinning so big, so he started singing instead. " _The more I see you_..."

"... _the more I want you_ ," she continued with him, rolling her eyes but still smiling in spite of herself. She rolled over onto her side, rubbing his shoulder. "One of these days you're gonna drive me right up the wall with that song, you know that?"

"Acoustics are phenomenal up there," he said wryly. He raised a hand to push a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. She slipped her arms around his waist and his smile broadened. "Ya know, if I didn't know any better I'd say you liked me," he kidded, returning the embrace.

She laughed lightly. "Now, that would be a silly thing for me to do," she jibed back, poking him in the ribs.

"Yeah," he agreed, grinning and pulling her close against him.

And they lay there like that for a few minutes, holding each other in the semidarkness. She closed her eyes. He wasn't even humming anymore.

Unannounced, he sat up with a grunt and swung his legs off the side of the bed, pausing to gather the energy to stand.

"Where are you going?" It came out with a note of disappointment, though she didn't mean it to. She propped herself up on one elbow, pulling up the blankets to cover herself.

"I've gotta finish the paperwork on last week's charts. And I'm on call in three hours anyway." In his voice was not enthusiasm, not complaint, but an ungrudging willingness. He steadied himself and stood up, going to retrieve his clothes from the floor.

She sighed and let herself fall back down on the mattress. "It's always something," she said, an observation more than a nag.

"I know, I know," he half-exclaimed, throwing up his hands as if in surrender. "But it's not me, it's Carver. The man's a slave-driver!" He pulled on his underwear and reached for his shirt.

"So I've heard," she said with a small smile. "Still, it would be good for you if you could take a break sometimes- What are you looking for?"

"My pants," he mumbled, rifling through piles of useful, placeless stuff in the dim light.

"Just get a clean pair, they should be in the hall," she advised, a sleepy strain in her words. "I did the laundry this morning."

"I think I'll do that," he said, abandoning his search and leaning over the bed to kiss her, a soft kiss on the cheek. "You should get some sleep," he told her, stroking her hair.

"So should you," she protested.

"Not tonight," he said with a smile and a shake of his head. He reached for the little lamp behind her, the smile widening into a grin. "Say g'night, Gracie."

She couldn't suppress the smile that came to her lips. "Good night, Hawkeye," she said pointedly, mockingly stern.

"Aw, you're no fun," he grinned.

"That's not what you were saying a few minutes ago," she reminded him affectionately.

He chuckled. "That's true. You got me there." He paused for a moment, gazing down at her. "I'll see ya later," he said finally, kissing her once more and turning off the light.

"Later," she said after a moment.

But he was already gone.


End file.
